Book Reviews

‘The best moments in reading are when you come across something - a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things - which you had thought special and particular to you. And now, here it is, set down by someone else, a person you have never met, someone even who is long dead. And it is as if a hand has come out, and taken yours.’ Alan Bennett

“Many a book is like a key to unknown chambers within the castle of one’s own self.” ― Franz Kafka

Wednesday 30 November 2011

The Bumper Book of Slightly Forgotten but Nevertheless Still Great British Olympians and other Sporting Heroes - Simon Bullivant


As the long and entertaining title of this book explains, this is a large collection recounting the tales of the not quite famous, not entirely remembered, unusual sporting exploits of some nevertheless high achieving British folk. This selection of informative, humourous stories involving magnificent and strange sporting feats, and the weird and wonderful people undertaking them, is an entertaining diversion, the numerous tales can be read independently of each other, and it could be a super gift for that hard to buy for and open-minded sports lover with a sense of humour. The exploits range from the more traditional sports such as football, tennis and swimming, to the rather more unexpected and lesser known events like naked fishing, underwater hoop plunge, mixed luge and bed making! My favourite Olympian depicted here is Sir George Ingollds, he of the eighty-six-yard perambulation for gentlemen of a certain girth! Before you ponder on this and despair at how these marvellous achievements could ever have been lost from public memory, it may be worth remembering that the author is a writer of comedy, and that these characters are in fact entirely of the author’s creation. This book certainly wins the prize for book that I've reviewed with the longest title! Also a rare excursion into non-fiction for me! I read and reviewed this book for newbooks magazine.

3/5

Published by Constable
Hardback available now in the UK 
Priced £12.99

2 comments:

  1. Not sure this would be my kind of book, good review though.

    In other news you won Novembers pre-loved giveaway hon YAY please message me your name and address :D

    ReplyDelete
  2. Not really mine either, I requested three different novels and was sent this by newbooks. But I gave it a go as something different.

    Thank you!!! I have sent you a message on facebook xx

    ReplyDelete

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